La Vanakam — Restaurant in Kolkata

"We visited La Vanakam on Wood Street for breakfast, and it serves authentic South Indian food that tastes very good. However, the place is small, so if you're looking for a peaceful spot to eat in the morning, this might not be the best option.

We ordered 2 pieces of samosa, which cost ₹100 according to their menu, but they charged us ₹120. What's more concerning is that they brought the samosas from Sharma Sweets and sold them as their own. When we questioned them, they seemed dismissive and claimed we didn't know what we were talking about, even suggesting that the taste was similar because it was made in their kitchen. It was unprofessional and disappointing to discover that they were serving outside food without transparency.

As Kolkata natives, we can appreciate the taste of popular food outlets. Serving outside food without disclosure is unacceptable and reflects poorly on the...

La Vanakam is located on Wood Street. My recent visit to this place was enjoyable, but I was somewhat dissatisfied with the food. I tried the South Indian dishes, which were okay but not particularly impressive.

Additionally, I was quite frustrated with their tandoor timing policy. When I requested a tandoori platter, they informed me that the tandoor was not available at that moment. I ended up ordering something else. However, as I was leaving, I noticed another customer being served a tandoori platter. When I inquired about it, they still insisted it was unavailable, even though it was served to another table just 15-20 minutes later. This discrepancy annoyed me greatly.

Overall, I feel that the food did not meet my expectations. While the presentation was good, the...

A small, cosy South Indian restaurant with well-done interiors and a warm vibe.

➡︎ Food ordered: • Masala maggi - Yumm • Benne Dosa - must try • Ragi Dosa - nice, tastes like usual one • Hara bhara kebab - good • Chola batura • Vada Pav • Idli, Medu Vada • Samosa • Appam + curry - nice but that day salt on higher side in curry • Cocunut chutney - spicy & nice • Gulab Jamun - 👍🏻 ❌ Filter coffee & Tea - okish ❌ Dahi Medu Vada ❌ Tomato rice - tastes like biryani, not actual tomato rice ❌ Sambar - slightly on sweeter side (No onion Garlic food available)

➡︎ Been here twice: • Evening visit: Service was slow & also forgot our 2 dishes, likely due to the crowd. • Morning visit: Service was fast.

Overall, a pleasant spot for a South...